22 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



tries where they are indigenous. The cedar of Le- 

 banon appears to have been used from the earliest 

 periods of Syrian history. The Romans, and after 

 them the Venetians, made use of the larch for archi- 

 tectural and household purposes, as well as in the 

 construction of their galleys and vessels. The Nor- 

 wegians and Danes constructed their first ships of 

 the pines of the Scandinavian mountains. Upon the 

 Gulph of Bothnia, near the borders of Lapland, at 

 the bottom of one of the forests sloping towards a 

 bay, Dr. Clarke saw a pine-vessel of forty-six tons, 

 just launched, which had been built by the natives 

 upon one of the wildest scenes of the coast, without 

 the aid of docks, or any other convenience required 

 by marine architects.* The people of the northern 

 parts of Britain still make their boats, and the 

 rudest of them even their cordage, of the pine; 

 and though the timber of the pines of the New 

 World be, upon the whole, less hard and durable 

 than of those of Europe, it is employed for ship- 

 building, as well as for domestic purposes. The 

 pine found in the bogs of Ireland is of a very supe- 

 rior quality, and used by the inhabitants for many 

 purposes. Some persons of rank in that country 

 have halls and other apartments floored with bog- 

 pine; while, in several districts, it is the only tim- 

 ber of the peasants, who make of it their wooden 

 utensils, and also their cordage. It is perfectly proof 

 against the worm; and seems, in durability, almost 

 to rival the cedar itself. From the greater ease with 

 which it can be worked, and its aptitude to receive 

 and retain paint, pine is now chiefly employed in the 

 roofs, floors, and internal finishing of houses; the 

 European sort, where it has to bear a strain, or is 

 exposed to wearing, and the softer kinds, from 

 America, for internal mouldings and ornaments. 



* Travels in Scandinavia. 



